2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty · symptom sheet
Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble"
- 90owner reports
- 25,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Jan 24, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
101 of the 201 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 90 of those describe death wobble, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2018 F-350 Super Duty.
Tick what matches of 90 reports
Death wobble on other F-350 Super Duty years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2020, 2022.
What this problem usually is
This is the violent one. Owners describe the steering wheel shaking hard at highway speed, often right after the front end hits a bump or an expansion joint, and it keeps going until they slow way down. Six in ten complaints in this group use the word wobble, and plenty of owners call it the "death wobble."
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering damper (10 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the steering system covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.
All 10 recalls on the 2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the F-350 Super Duty
Alleged loss of steering. Closed jan 31, 2014.
Sector shaft fractures. Closed aug 19, 2003.
None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 16,000 and 39,470 miles, from the 68 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
2013-2019 vehicles equipped with a LKS system with customer complaints of steering wheel vibration, steering pull or vehicle drift may be due to an alert and/or steering aid input from the LKS.
What owners wrote
“Violent front end shimmy (death wobble) at highway speeds. Seems to be worsening. Happened in Interstate traffic near Atlanta Georgia. Extreme concern as I was among multiple vehicles with many behind me as well, all moving at highway speeds. I could not stop the problem until I had slowed to about 20 miles per hour.”
Filed Apr 18, 2024
“Experienced death wobble/uncontrollable vibration in front end and loss of steering. Truck is at the Ford service center but cannot get parts from Ford to fix per Ford Technical Service Bulletin #18-2268. What work the shop did actually made the situation worse.”
Filed Feb 7, 2023
“(Death Wobble) Driving down the road and you hit a bump then the front end starts to shake viciously and out of control until slow down or stop to get the truck back under control. Iâm afraid to have anyone in my truck besides me”
Filed May 8, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 90 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 77 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 26 reports